Sectional filing-cabinet or the like.



PATENTED MAY 2 APPLICATION FILED APR. 22, 1904 F%\- Z. r 2% finiyfif E 5a. Z 1d 1nd 0/ V .J 10 C.J 0 g g m v E m. 5 1% Si ii m E @U k A f i w E4 E E M Ma g E M E E E Q 1 a W k fi r 5 m M l. m E E m E g m 1H Q? E U av Patented May 2, 1905.

PATENT @rrrcn.

HENRY UPTON, OF GANANOQUE, CANADA.

SECTIONAL FILING-CABINET OR THE LIKE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 788,966, dated May 2,1905.

Application filed April 22, 1904. Serial No. 204,449.

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY UPTON, of the town of Grananoque, in theProvince of Ontario, Dominion of Canada, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Sectional Filing-Cabinets or the Like; and I dohereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exactdescription of the same.

My invention relates particularly to means for locking the independentsections together; and it has for its object to provide a locking deviceadapted to prevent the removal of the contents of the receptacles,whether drawer or other filing devices, and to be extended over a seriesof sections and increased or diminished as the said sections are addedto or reduced in number.

The invention may be said, briefly, to consist of a series of framesadapted to interlock with one another and the members of each frameextending across the compartments of the section to which it is applied,while interlocking devices are carried partially by the members of theframes and partially by the drawers or other parts, and a single lockingdevice is adapted to lock the series of frames against displacement.

For full comprehension, however, of my invention reference must be hadto the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, inwhich similar reference characters indicate the same parts, and whereinFigure 1 is a face view of a series of sections secured together by myimproved looking device. Fig. 2 is an enlarged transverse verticalsectional view, taken on line AA, Fig. 1, of one of the members of myimproved frame with the portion of a member of a second frameinterlocked therewith.

My improved frame, which constitutes the main portion of my improvedlocking device, consists, preferably, of a series of three longitudinalmembers yoked together by a pair of transverse members disposed in linewith one another, each longitudinal member consisting of a bar 6, formedat its lower end with a pair of spring-clamps c, spread apart and havingtheir extremities turned toward one another at right angles to theirmain length, as at d, while the upper end of each member is providedwith a head 0, presenting a pair ofshouldersfat its lower end and theupper end thereof being rounded, as at g. The main length or bodyportion of each of these longitudinal member has a series ofdownwardly-depending fingers 11 stamped out of the same, and each draweror the like has a staple j projecting outwardly from the middle portionof the rear thereof and adapted to receive one of the fingers i. Thelowermost frames of the series will be formed without the clamps uponthe lower ends of their longitudinals, while the longitudinals of theuppermost frames will be formed without the heads. The transversemembers consist of bars in and are secured rigidly at their ends to orformed integrally with the longitudinal members.

My improved frames are located at the rear of the sections, and theactuating device proper which I prefer to use to move my improved framesinto or out of engaging relation with the drawers or the like consistsof an oscillatory rod m, mounted in bearings n, depending from thelowermost section and having a ,lever-arm 0 secured at one end rigidlyto the rear end thereof and at its other end, as at p, pivotally to thelower end of a link q, fastened rigidly upon the said lowermost section,while the forward end of this rod has a bandle thereon. A lock 0 of anypreferred type is used for locking the handle in position with theframes engaging the drawers or the like.

To secure a series of sections together according to my invention, theyare first piled one upon the other, as usual, and the lower frame isthen set in place with the fingers 11 hooked into the staples ,7' uponthe drawers or the like. The next frame above it is then similarly setin place and the spring-clamps 0 thereof forced downwardly over theheads, the spring-clamps being sprung apart for the purpose. Thelowermost frame is then locked in place, thereby also preventing thedisplacement of the other frame.

If desired, the fingers 11 can be made from pieces of metalindependently of the longitudinal members instead of being punched fromthe latter and each frame made of'other form than that illustrated andthe number of longitudinal members increased to accommodate a greaterwidth of section or other changes made Without departing from the spiritof my invention.

What I claim is as follows:

1. The combination with a sectional case of the type described, eachsection having a series of compartments arranged in rows, of means forpreventing the removal of the contents of said compartments, said meansconsisting of a series of frames each comprising a series oflongitudinal and transverse members rigidly secured together andextending across said compartments, means detachably connecting saidframes in place, and means interlocking said frames with one another.

2. The combination with a sectional case of the type described, eachsection having a series of compartments arranged in rows, and a seriesof drawers or the like located in the said compartments, of means forpreventing the removal of the contents of said compartments, said meansconsisting of a series of frames each comprising a series oflongitudinal and transverse members rigidly secured together andextending across said compartments, a series of staples carried by thedrawers or the like, a series of fingers carried by the said frame andadapted to be inserted in said staples, and means interlocking saidframes with one another.

3. The combination with a sectional case of the type described, eachsection having a series of compartments arranged in rows, and a seriesof drawers or the like located in the said compartments, of means forpreventing the removal of the contents of said compartments, said meansconsisting of a series of frames each comprising a series oflongitudinal and transverse members rigidly secured together andextending across said compartments, a series of staples carried by thedrawers or the like, a series of fingers carried by the said frame andadapted to be inserted in said staples, means interlocking said frameswith one another, and means whereby said frames are raised and lowered,for the purpose set forth.

4. The combination with a sectional case of the type described, eachsection having a series of compartments arranged in rows and a series ofdrawers or the like in said compartments, of means for preventing theremoval of the said drawers from the said compartments, said meansconsisting of a series of frames comprising a series of membersextending across said compartments, means detachably connecting saidframes to said drawers or the like, and means interlocking said frameswith one another, said last-mentioned means consisting of spring-clampsupon the end of one frame and heads upon the other frame adapted to beclamped by said springclamps.

5. The combination with a sectional case of the type described, eachsection having a series of compartments arranged in rows, and a seriesofdrawers or the like in said compartments, of means for preventing theremoval of the contents of said compartments, said means consisting of aseries of frames comprising a series of members extending across saidcompartments, a series of staples carried by the drawers or the like, aseries of fingers carried by the said members and adapted to be insertedin said staples when said frames are shifted, and means interlockingsaid frames with one another, said last-mentioned means consisting ofspring-clamps upon the end of one frame and heads upon the other frameadapted to be clamped by said spring-clamps.

6. The combination with a sectional case of the type described, eachsection having a series of compartments arranged in rows and a series ofdrawers or the like in said compartments, of means for preventing theremoval of the said drawers or the like, said means consisting of aseries of frames located at the rear of the said case and comprising aseries of members extending across said compartments, meats detachablyconnecting said frames to the said drawers or the like, meansinterlocking said frames with one another, said last mentioned meansconsisting of spring-clamps upon the end of one frame, heads upon theother frame adapted to be clamped by said spring-clamps, and a locksecuring one end frame to the section upon which it is mounted.

7. The combination with a sectional case of the type described, eachsection having a series of compartments arranged in rows, and having aseries of drawers or the like therein,of means for preventing theremoval of the said drawers or the like, said means consisting of aseries of frames comprising a series of members extending across saidcompartments, and means interlocking said frames with one another, saidlast-mention ed means consisting of spring-clamps upon the end of oneframe, heads upon the other frame adapted to be clamped by saidspring-clamps and a lock securing one end frame to the section uponwhich it is mounted.

8. A frame for the purpose set forth con sisting of a series of membersof die form dis posed parallel to one another, means rigidl securingsaid members to one another a shor distance apart, each of said membershavin a pair of clamps at one end and a head adapt ed to be clamped atits opposite end, and a se ries of fingers carried rigidly by said framsubstantially and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I have affixed my sig nature in presence of twowitnesses.

HENRY UPTON.

Witnesses:

W. H. CoNvEY, EVA ONEILL.

